


Friendship Breeds Love

by WhiteFoxParchment



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: F/M, Female Pronouns for Reader, Fluff, Slow Burn, probably, smut waaay down the line
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:21:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29569542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteFoxParchment/pseuds/WhiteFoxParchment
Summary: You're a young woman who was born in Hoenn, who eventually found yourself moving to Galar. Your goal is to have a Pokemon Daycare - wanting to see and raise many different Pokemon. The only issue is, you have no idea where to start.Not the best at summaries, but hey, I'm looking forward to this anyway! Characters will be added to the tags as they appear, since I'm not sure who might show up yet or when and I don't want to tag anything wrong. Rating is for the future - this will be a very slow burn more than likely as I want to build up the relationship with Milo from scratch. I hope you enjoy!
Relationships: Yarrow | Milo/Reader
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

You awoke with a start at the dull groan of thunder, pulled from an already restless half-sleep. You groaned quietly to yourself as you rolled over in your sleeping bag - one that felt far too constricting in the moment. You could hear the shuffle of your partner, Mightyena, as he raised his head to look over you. You didn’t raise yours in return, and heard the soft huff of breath from the canine as he settled back onto the floor of the tent. No doubt he was waiting for you to rise, knowing full well you wouldn’t get back to sleep more than likely. He was smart like that. Always had been. 

You stayed put for a short while though despite that, wishing so desperately you could fall back asleep and outlast this storm. Closing your eyes again, you listened to the constant pattering of rain, occasionally growing heavier before tapering off. Back and forth went that rhythm, nearly lulling you back into a false sense of security and with it, sleep. That is until another crash of thunder forced you to jolt again, a frustrated sigh leaving you soon after. Finally you gave in to nature’s demands, sitting up to look at the black hound sitting nearly at your feet. He glanced at you with the faintest raise of his brow, as if questioning why you even tried. You wouldn’t blame him for that either, truth be told. 

“Yeah, I guess it  _ was _ kinda stupid, huh?” You asked as you reached forward to stroke the coarse fur between his ears. A low purr of a growl rumbled deep in his chest as his ears flicked, content with finally receiving the attention he had been waiting for. “I guess you’re hungry huh, buddy?” You hummed softly to yourself, looking at the exit of your tent. You purse your lips with slight annoyance. You really had wanted to wait out this storm before leaving, but it was just your luck you  _ had _ to pick a part of the wild area that just refused to stop raining for the time being.

“Bet you anything though that once we finally head out and I’m all soaked to the bone, the rain will stop  _ then. _ What do you think, Yena?” The hyena Pokemon huffed again, seeming unpleased himself, though he took the initiative in standing up to paw at the tent’s walls to be let outside the protective barrier. 

“Alright, alright! Hold on buddy, we can go!” You were quick to move then, hurriedly unzipping the material before his claws could manage to pierce the flimsy layer. He didn’t waste time in exiting then, and you saw just how hard it was actually raining. He looked up at the sky, wasting no time in trotting over to a nearby tree in your view. He tried to shake his pelt free of water, though it continued to cascade down upon him even through the thick barrier of leaves above. You finally moved out of the tent, instantly feeling the cold water hit and roll down the exposed skin of your arms. You grumbled softly to yourself as you started to fix up your tent, trying your best to pack it away. When you put the already soaked case into your bag, it was only  _ half _ begrudgingly.

“Come on, Yena. Let’s try and get out of this rain before we do anything else, alright?” The hyena barked then as he trotted back to your side, quick to catch up to you even though you had already started walking. You smiled despite the crummy situation you found yourself in for that very reason. He had been your partner for longer than you could count on both hands - your very first Pokemon. Though he didn’t get to see much of his species here in Galar outside the rare traveler like you had been, he didn’t seem to mind. This was your home now, along with him.

The only issue was, you were yet to find a home here in the Galar region. You had stayed with your father for a short while, near the outskirts of Circhester. Unlike your mother who had chosen to stay in Hoenn, he had come out here when you were a child. Eventually, after traveling Hoenn for a couple of years, you had decided to join him. It was… easier that way, for numerous reasons. 

You felt the hyena nuzzle his head into your hand, perhaps sensing the slight distress starting to grow in you. You managed to relax again quickly from his soft touch, and you smiled yet again with a soft murmur of thanks to the hound. The past was the past, and with Yena, you could do anything. You knew that.

Truth be told, your dream was to be a Pokemon breeder. You weren’t necessarily the keenest when it came to Pokemon battles. Sure, they could be fun and you wouldn’t say no in most cases if challenged, but you never were the type to seek out fights. You felt more joy simply from raising Pokemon, watching them grow and learn and enjoy their lives. Your father had been similar, though the tiny little daycare he ran wasn’t often used by any of the public. Probably thanks to its location.

One day though, you wanted to have your own daycare. You wanted to nurture Pokemon, both your own and other traveling trainers. You wanted to help in whatever way you could. You wanted to see so many new Pokemon. You wanted to see families raised.

Happy families were hard to come by.

_ “Yen! Rrrena!” _

The sudden growl of your Mightyena stopped you in your tracks as you looked down to him, trying to pinpoint what had suddenly gotten him so riled up. Your body tensed up as you followed his gaze, noticing the snarl and drawn back lips immediately. Whatever had him so upset was obviously no joke. You felt the sudden chill before you saw anything - the rain had seemed to strengthen, forming into a thick haze of fog and water. You couldn’t help the shiver that pushed through you as you saw the old, decrepit building not too far ahead. It was then that you saw the eyes. Lots of eyes, hovering off the ground, a mixture of what sounded like laughter swirling around you. The thick blanket of fog swirling in around you did nothing to hinder it.

Ghost types, and lots of them.

“Yena! Let’s go!” You immediately rushed to action, not wanting to risk a fight. Sure, Yena had the advantage, but you were  _ not _ about to try and fight multiple Pokemon alone, especially not ghosts. No one knew you were out here, and you weren’t about to tempt fate. 

Despite the hyena’s evident protective stance, he still obeyed you, following as you ran. He stayed close behind, and occasionally you heard him snarl and snap at  _ something. _ It scared you when the sound of him disappeared for a moment, though you thanked Arceus every time he showed back up right behind you. Your heart thudded in your chest as you ran, the cold that had been piercing you gone for the time being.

Then, you heard a yelp.

Whipping around you saw it as it happened - the Gastly and the shadowy nail of a curse fading into your Mightyena’s pelt. Despite your fear, you stood your ground finally. With a quick look around you realized it was only this Gastly that had followed the two of you this far. A mistake, at least for it.

“Yena! Use Crunch, hurry!”

Your partner shook himself, as if to shake off some of the hurt before lunging towards the ghost. All it took was the one attack to knock the Gastly out, but the damage had already been done and you knew it. Your heart dropped to your stomach as the Mightyena slowly limped towards you - though the ghost’s defeat shook off the rest of the lingering curse, it had clearly sapped a lot of Mightyena’s strength. 

“I’m so sorry, buddy. I should have paid more attention to where we were going... Are you okay?” You realized how stupid a question that was the very instant the words left your mouth. With a sigh that was more directed towards yourself than anything, you pulled your bag over the side of your shoulder as you moved to kneel down. You still hadn’t been able to get any shopping done - in fact, that was part of why you had been heading towards Motostoke in the first place. You silently cursed noticing you were completely out of potions. All you had on you at this point were some berries you had scavenged a few days prior. With a small sheepish smile, you pulled out a Sitrus berry, offering it to your partner. 

“We’re almost to town, Yena. I’m sorry, this is all I’ve got until we can get to the Pokemon center. I guess it’s about time you had a snack anyway, right?” You awkwardly joked, though the Mightyena didn’t seem to mind much judging by the slow wagging of his crooked tail as he carefully ate the large yellow berry from your hand. Your smile softened as you watched him, and when he was finished you moved to gently ruffle the fur of his head yet again, as you had earlier that morning. 

You glanced around then, the fog still making it a bit hard to see into the distance - you were pretty sure you knew the direction you were headed though, and at the very least you hopefully wouldn’t have to deal with any more territorial ghost types.

“Do you want me to carry you back to town in your ball, Yena? Or can you walk?” You asked, and he barked, moving to step over to your side as he had earlier. He then looked up at you, barking again. His way of telling you he wanted to proceed as he was. You nodded in understand and walked beside him, having made sure to turn away from the direction of the ghostly tower you had accidentally wandered into earlier.

Though the fog wasn’t clearing anytime soon, eventually you were about to make out more and more of what was ahead of you. The towering set of stairs began to seem clearer and clearer, excitement and relief starting to swell inside your heart. You began to pick up the pace then - adrenaline still faintly coursing inside you and keeping your energy strong. Your partner was obviously feeling a bit better after the revitalizing snack, as he kept pace with you as well as he always had. Neither of you stopped your brisk jog until you were beside the stairs, a man in white and a backpacker beside each other as they seemed to chat. Something about camping, though you didn’t waste much time outside a quiet pleasantry or two. You wanted to get into the city as quickly as possible.

As you and the Mightyena made your way up the stairs, your legs began to shake. The adrenaline from before had finally started to fade, leaving you feeling chilled and exhausted. The rain and the fog didn’t do your body temperature any favors, and once the fear you had felt before faded, you were left with hardly anything but pure willpower pushing you forward.

“Rrrena?” Your Mightyena tilted his head as he looked at you, lightly nudging your hip to try and get you to push on. You could tell he was worried, and so you quickly offered him a tired smile. 

“‘S alright, buddy. We’re almost there. We can get you healed up, I can get the shopping done… ‘n then we can head out. Sound good?” Yena didn’t seem at all convinced, instead moving to stand behind you as the two of you walked. Then it hit you.

Despite how hurt he must be, how  _ tired _ he must feel, he was still making sure  _ your _ body didn’t give out on you. You wrapped your arms around yourself, a small sense of guilt beginning to creep up like the chill in your spine. 

Only once you were safely in town did Mightyena come back to your side, sniffing around the air. Was he still hungry? Probably, considering all you had been able to offer him was a berry.  _ Once errands are done, maybe I’ll need to find a place to settle in. I can bake some poffins or Pokeblocks, maybe. He deserves a nice treat, anyway. _

The two of you walked the short distance to the Pokemon center, and as soon as you entered you made your way to the front counter. The nurse in charge looked up at you, a flicker of surprise passing through her expression - you knew you must look a mess, though to the nurse’s benefit, she didn’t comment on such a thing.

“Welcome to the Motostoke Pokemon Center! May I see your Pokemon?” You nodded, pulling out the single pokeball you currently held on your person. It was a luxury ball, one you had saved up quite a bit for for your partner. Holding it out, the Mightyena lightly tapped his head to the button, allowing himself to be put back inside.

“Be good while they take care of you, buddy.” You murmured softly to the ball, before handing it to the nurse. She smiled at you and offered a small bow, before getting to work to help your injured partner. You glanced to the side, noticing the men behind the counter on the Pokemart side seemed a bit more off put by your appearance. You sighed to yourself before making your way over, offering them a quiet apology for your appearance (to which they insisted it was fine, though you figured that was probably just being courteous), and then you bought the items you figured you would need. Mostly various potions and a couple of Full Heals. Only then did you allow yourself to rest, moving to sit at a small table in the corner of the building to wait.

Despite how warm the building was kept, you couldn’t stop shivering. Your muscles ached, though you doubted it was from your short dash earlier. Maybe it was the constant cold making your muscles feel so achy? You groaned quietly as you shrunk closer on yourself, resting your arms on the table and your forehead on them. 

You heard the soft jingle of the door, though you didn’t bother to pick your head up. Sure, maybe the newcomer would find it a bit creepy to see some random woman in the corner, but they’d get over it. Maybe they wouldn’t even notice or just wouldn’t pay it any mind, at the very least. That would be nice.

“Miss? Are you alright?”

So much for that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note for this chapter, you might see some little signs from the reader character. I'm basing some of her mannerisms on my own for ease of writing, so she may show signs of a few things. I won't go into detail just in case as I don't necessarily want it to feel too restricting for most, but that's why she thinks/acts certain ways! I WILL say one is related to autism though and my own experiences with it. I think it'll be nice to cope/have a character that's relatable for others such as myself. 
> 
> Another note, don't worry not everyone is against her at all, though the writing may suggest she thinks that way at times. The way I have her written, it's basically more a hyper aware type of thing. She is super super conscious of how she may be perceived, and her mind goes in overdrive as a sort of compensation and reaction.  
> -

Slowly raising your head, your eyes eventually were met with the softer, surprisingly caring green eyes of a young man. Your guess was early to early-mid 20s, but that wasn’t any of your business anyway you figured. Realizing you were yet to answer him, your body shifted into a slightly more relaxed, albeit forced, posture and offered a somewhat less than genuine smile. You hoped he wouldn’t notice at least, as you truly didn’t want to offend him despite how you were physically feeling.

“I am. Am I in the way? I can move, if I need to.” At first, he didn’t answer the question. He was obviously unconvinced by your display, a hint of concern furrowing his brow and a small frown crossing his features. Even then though, his expression wasn’t unpleasant - he still looked gentle despite his look of worry.  _ Could be worse, anyway. At least he’s not like… weirded out or annoyed, I guess. That’s a positive.  _ Perhaps he realized he was yet to answer you as his frown very quickly shifted into a soft, sheepish smile.

“Oh, no! You’re not in the way at all! Far from it. I just saw you over here, all by your lonesome, an’ I thought…” His voice trailed off then as one of his hands moved up to lightly tug at the cloth around his neck, perhaps fearing that he had overstepped his bounds. He was noticeably surprised when your smile seemed to brighten just a little bit despite yourself. The man seemed unabashedly sweet - a nice change of pace for sure.

“I suppose you’re right, but don’t worry. I won’t be alone for long. Just waiting for my partner to get healed up and then I’ll be on my way.” 

“Well, that’s wonderful news! That ya won’t be alone for long, I mean. What kinda Pokemon is your partner?” He only seemed to have brightened up further at your words, though you wondered if that was just due to the talk of Pokemon or something else. You didn’t think to ask though - truthfully it was just surprising that he was bothering to talk to you at all. The attention on you felt a bit foreign.

“He’s a Mightyena.”

“A Mightyena? Can’t say you see those ‘round here very often.” A small pause before he continued, “You’re not from around here then, are ya?”

After you shook you confirmed his thoughts with a shake of your head, he hummed softly, as if thinking something over carefully, before some sort of realization seemed to strike him. That sheepish look returned before long, though it quickly faded as he softly chuckled.

“Oh, an’ by the way, the name’s Milo. It’s a pleasure to meet ya! Sorry ‘bout that, not sure where my manners went for a minute there…”

Milo, huh? The name certainly didn’t strike a bell in your mind - not that you thought it would have, truthfully. You hardly knew the names of anyone in Galar outside the Champion of the region and the name ‘Piers’. You only knew  _ that _ name thanks to your father though.  _ He always was a fan of music. Especially types like him. _

You quickly shook your head, reassuring him that it was totally okay and offering your name in return. Of course you didn’t add the fact that you wouldn’t have been offended anyway, not even thinking for a second you would still be talking to this guy. Words like that would have been far too easy to twist and come off wrong, you assumed, and the last thing you wanted to do was hurt the guy’s feelings if they  _ did _ come off poorly. You never were good at talking to people, and being hyper aware of any possible way your words could be taken was challenging enough.

“Hey, why don’t I show you ‘round Motostoke? If you’re not from around here, I’d love to be of some help! It’s easy t’ get lost if you’re not already used to it here.” He offered with a warm smile, and though the offer was innocent enough you still felt a little unsure. 

“Oh no, I couldn’t ask that of you. I’m sure you’re busy, right?”

“Nah, not at all actually. I mean, I need to head home a little later, but showing ya around won’t hurt.” Despite how determined he seemed, part of you was sure he wouldn’t actually push. If you give him a direct no, he would probably back off as worried about manners as he seemed to be. Part of you  _ wanted _ to take him up on his offer anyway - you still felt cold and achy, and you at least wanted to find where the local Inn was. Sure, your wallet was going to be hurting  _ big time _ for that choice, but anything beat camping out for another night at this point. Even with your willingness to give in, your own concern was close to beating you out once again.

“It’s… It’s alright, really, I need to wait here for Yena, anyway-”

As if some outside force decided to take matters into its own hand, it was right as you were about to finish your words that your attention was drawn to the nurse as she called back for you.

“Miss? Your Mightyena is ready for you.”

Oh. Well, so much for that excuse. 

“Oh, uh… one moment, okay Milo?” The man nodded at you, the smile not wavering as you slowly stood and made your way to the counter. You thanked the nurse as she handed you back the Pokeball, feeling the slight shake of it in your hands. Though he never forced himself from his ball, he always made it obvious when he wanted out. You smiled then as you held it in your hands, murmuring softly under your breath, “It’s alright, buddy. I’ll let you out in just a couple minutes.” 

Sighing softly, you mentally braced yourself. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. You just had to convince your nerves of that. You had Yena with you, and Yena was the best bodyguard anyone could ask for. At least, in your mind he sure was. He had never let you down before, right?  _ Alright, well… let’s get on with it then, shall we? _

Turning back around, you moved back to where Milo quietly waited, and what had grown to a more relaxed expression returned back to its previous smile.

“Alright, if you  _ really _ don’t mind… I’ll go with you. Just… please don’t put yourself out for my sake, alright?” As sweet as he seemed to be, he was still a stranger. The idea of burdening him wasn’t exactly what you wanted to think about right now. He was quick to at least dispel some of your worries however as he shook his head, seemingly with no hesitation.

“No more worryin’ yourself over that! I’m more than happy t’ help.” He responded, his gentle tone laced with a strong finality. You had to avoid the instinctive urge of giving a playful sigh at his certain tone - you weren’t entirely sure if he would take it literal or not, and all things considered you were starting to feel thankful he was so willing to offer you his help. Last thing you needed now was for him to back out at a misunderstanding.

As you moved to the door he actually moved a bit quicker than you, deciding to open it for you. The gesture gave you pause for a short moment, though upon further thought, maybe it shouldn’t have surprised you. Courtesy seemed to be in his blood.  _ Dad used to do that, too. Cute. _

With a soft murmur of thanks you slipped out the door, followed by him. You were more than ready to get going - both in hopes of finding where you’d be staying tonight  _ and _ thinking that maybe keeping yourself moving would help you feel a little better. However, a thought came to you, and you gently grabbed his wrist before he could move more than a step. Surprised, he glanced back towards you.

“Somethin’ wrong?”

“Well, you came into the center, right? Wasn’t there something you had to do? Heal your Pokemon, buy something… anything?” After all, he couldn’t have gone in there for no reason at all, right? Or maybe he could, but that didn’t seem very likely to you. You concern surprisingly enough, had him beaming at you.

“Oh, don’t you worry about that none. I’ll pass by before I head out.” With his free hand he gently patted your hand that held his wrist, and only then did you relent, releasing your light grip on him and murmuring a soft apology for grabbing onto him so suddenly. Unsurprisingly to you, he was quick to accept it, seemingly unbothered. It was like night and day to you just how different he was from yourself. Had anyone done that to you at the wrong time or caught you off guard in doing so, you might have snapped at them even if you didn’t necessarily intend to.

“W-well… Alright, if you’re sure,” You started, feeling yourself starting to fumble with your words ever so slightly as you moved your hand to fiddle with the luxury ball you had rested in your pocket, “before we go though, do you mind if I let Yena out? He’s kinda stubborn and gets impatient, and I feel… uh…”

“Safer with ‘im, right?” When you nodded, Milo did in return. “No shame in that at all. Go ahead, let the fella out. I’d love to meet ‘im.”

For what felt like the millionth time today alone, you felt the relief wash over you at this man’s compassion and understanding. He didn’t seem offended at all either, and that made your confidence strengthen if only a little bit. Pulling the ball from your pocket, you lightly tapped the center, allowing the ball to open and the bright red beam to release your companion.

“Rrrena!” He barked, his tail wagging as he panted happily, obviously happy to have been able to finally rejoin you. He looked good as new, and you kneeled down to allow the hyena to nuzzle against your cheek.

“That’s my good boy. You look better than ever… I’m so glad.” You murmured softly, momentarily forgetting Milo’s presence as you hugged around your partner’s neck. Only when you pulled away from him and the hyena stopped, sniffing the air and finally noticing the man for himself did the realization hit you. A faint blush dusted your cheeks as you cleared your throat.

“Oh, uh… sorry about that. Milo, this is Yena. Yena, this is Milo. He’s gonna show us around town, alright?” The Pokemon tilted his head as he eyed Milo with intense red eyes, but eventually his posture relaxed. Apparently, he sensed no threat, instead deciding to focus on standing loyally by your side. You noticed immediately how he stood directly between you and Milo though, and you averted your gaze rather quickly, a slight hint of embarrassment creeping up in you.

“Sorry, he’s very-”

“Good, I’d say.” Milo chuckled softly, offering his hand to the hyena, who sniffed at it for only a few seconds before becoming disinterested yet again. “You two are very close, so I’d expect nothin’ else. You’re real lucky havin’ a friend like him.”

“Yeah… Yeah, I really am.” You murmured softly, knowing it full well to be the truth. You were  _ very _ lucky to have Yena. You weren’t sure what you would do without him, in all honesty. 

“Well! Let’s get a move on, then. I’ve got lots t’ show ya, and only so much sun left in the day.” After being sure you were okay to start, he began to walk with you and Yena by his side. You felt the canine’s fur brush against your legs on occasion, obviously not wanting to move far from you at all. Outside of Milo motioning and talking about a few of the stores, the walk felt quiet. Of course, much of that was due to you - initiating conversation, especially spur of the moment like this, had always been rather difficult for you. Perhaps he could tell how uneasy you were, as his next words were spoken a lot softer.

“Hey, you alright?”

“What? Oh… yeah. I’m alright.”

“There’s no pressure, y’know. T’ talk or anythin’ like that, if you don’t want to.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to.” You gently pet Yena’s head as you walked, finding the familiar comfort of his coarse fur to be soothing as you traced seemingly random patterns against it. “I’m just not that great at it. So I don’t talk a lot, except to Yena or my other Pokemon, when they’re with me. I’m not good at knowing what to talk about.”

“Would it be easier if I give ya topics, or ask the questions?” Your heart swelled at his kindness, feeling genuinely thankful for his presence the more you were around him. For a moment, you wished you’d be able to call him a friend. Not dwelling on that thought for long though, you nodded.

“Well t’ start, where are ya from? Hoenn?” He asked, no doubt guessing from your Mightyena. Again, you nodded - though you tried to offer some words so he wasn’t simply getting gestures.

“Yeah… I lived there with mom for a while. Dad too, until they separated. He moved out here, to Galar, and eventually I came with. I missed him.” You only had a moment to internally cringe at oversharing before Milo distracted you with another question.

“Where does he live? I live out ‘n Turffield, have you heard of it?”  _ Ah. Turffield. That explains it. _ You  _ had _ heard of that town, though you’d never been there. All you really knew was it was apparently something of a little farm town, according to your dad at least.

“He lives out near the outskirts of Circhester. Very pretty, but I’m not the best with the cold even after living there a little bit. Hoenn never got that cold.” You responded, before quickly adding on, “Oh. Yes though, I heard of Turffield. Never actually…  _ been _ there though. What’s it like?”

“Warm, f’r starters. Comfortable even.” He chuckled softly then, relaxed as ever as the two of you talked. You wondered how he did it so easily. “Everyone there is real friendly and acceptin’, actually. I think you might like it, if you were ever t’ visit.”

“That sounds nice. I’d like to go, sometime.”  _ He’s not inviting you, he’s just being polite. Don’t say weird things like that. _

“Well, why don’tcha visit sometime? I’d be glad t’ show ya around there, too!” His smile in that moment was absolutely contagious, and you couldn’t help but return it. He looked absolutely overjoyed at the idea, and you shoved away the pestering thoughts that he was just trying to be nice to you. You wanted to believe that maybe he was more accepting than others had been. 

“I’d like that very much. Thank you. Maybe I’ll go there next, then. I’ve… kinda been wandering a lot lately. No real place in mind, you know? I really want to work at a daycare sometime, maybe even have my own, but I can’t exactly do that without direction, and it’s… it’s a bit of a mess.” You couldn’t help but ramble a bit, his kindness having managed to break down a little bit of your typical borders you held for yourself. Before you could regret it, he actually responded to you just as eagerly as before.

“Well, that answered the next question I had for ya. I was wonderin’ what kinda goals you had in mind. There’s actually a small daycare near Turffield. Maybe when ya visit, it would do you some good to check it out? Maybe they can give ya some pointers. There’s some awfully nice folk there, I’m sure they’d be glad t’ help!” He spoke with such conviction that you honestly believed him, and the excitement that had started to bud inside you only continued to blossom further. 

“That sounds great!” You practically chirped, causing Yena to shoot his gaze up at you a bit surprised. You offered him a soft murmur of apology for startling him before speaking back to Milo. “I’m really looking forward to this, actually. I think I’ll try and head out tomorrow. I would tonight, but…”

“No rush, don’t you worry. I’m sure you’re tired. Plus,” His voice trailed off for only a moment as you two stopped in front of a rather large building, and he gestured to it as he continued what he had been saying before cutting himself off, “we’re here! This is the Budew Drop Inn. Real cozy place, I can promise ya.”

Oh jeez. When you had heard  _ inn, _ you didn’t exactly think it would look so… fancy. At least from the outside it looked fancy, and if it looked fancy out  _ here _ then you were probably in for a  _ very _ expensive night. You were at least good at hiding the worry on your face - at least you assumed so, as Milo didn’t seem like he noticed. Before you could thank him though, he actually hummed to himself, making you think he was about to say something more. You were right.

“Actually, wait out here just a minute, alright? I’ll be right back.” You were only able to manage a quick ‘okay’ before he disappeared inside. You glanced at your partner beside you who then tilted his head in response.

“Rrryen?”

“Not sure, buddy. Maybe he’s making sure there's a room available?” You wouldn’t put it past him - he always seemed to be a step ahead at this point. Sure, you only knew him half a day, but you were pretty sure you had at least somewhat of a grasp on his character by now. He probably would have been worried leaving you without being sure you got a room to actually stay in.

You didn’t have to wait long for him to find out though, as before  _ too _ terribly long, you heard the doors slide open. Your eyes shot up immediately to meet his own as he walked back over to you.

“Sorry about that, jus’ wanted to be sure they had a room for ya.”  _ Yep, thought so.  _ “I’ll let ya go get settled. Mention my name when you register, okay? That way they’ll know it was you I was checkin’ for.” Sounded easy enough. You smiled at him, your eyes glancing down when you saw the movement of his hand. A handshake? You hesitated only a moment before slowly taking his hand, allowing him to shake yours. You could feel callouses, though it certainly wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.  _ Hard worker. I guess that makes sense. _

“Thank you, Milo. This means a lot more to me than… than I actually know how to express.”

“No thanks needed, I’m happy t’ help.” He released his gentle yet firm grip on your hand, allowing yours to drop back to your side. He then leaned down, offering his hand back to Yena. The hyena watched him, still seemingly uninterested - though he allowed Milo to pet between his ears regardless. “If y’ do come to Turffield, feel free t’ come find me. You can probably find me out in the fields most mornings and evenings. I’ll give ya the official tour then, alright?”

You smiled warmly then, nodding as you accepted his little proposal. 

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Take it easy t’night, alright?”

“You too. Be safe on your trip home.”

With a small tip of his head, he was on his way. You stood in place only until you couldn’t see him anymore, before sighing softly. Your partner twitched his ears as he looked up at you.

“It’s nothin’ big guy. Just a bit worried about what we’re in for inside.” You chuckled softly to yourself then, before steeling yourself the best you could. Gesturing for the canine to follow you, you headed inside. From your very first steps, you knew you were  _ definitely _ in for it, in terms of cash. The decor was already far more extravagant than you’ve ever seen  _ anywhere _ as far as your memory served. Right down to the stature that stood right in front of the entryway, almost like a knight prepared to battle anyone who shouldn’t be there.  _ Or can’t afford to be here. _ You thought to yourself, the slight sarcastic joke making you smirk despite the situation.

With Mightyena in tow, you headed up the short staircase, only seeing a couple of people in the lobby. They seemed to be simply chatting amongst themselves and not actually in line though - some even had Pokemon out. _ Good, then Mightyena should be welcome. _ That alleviated one of your worries at least.

As you made your way to the counter, the man behind the desk smiled at you. You noticed the glance at your Mightyena right before.  _ He’s not common around here, can’t say I blame him. He’s probably just curious. Probably. _

“Welcome! How may I help you tonight?”

“H-hi, I uhm…” You cleared your throat after your little stutter, trying to keep your voice a bit more even and confident. “I’d… like a room. I was told to mention Milo- or… his name? I guess, I-”

“Oh yes! Milo, he told me about you.” The man at the desk cut you off, though his tone was gentle. At least, you think so. You hoped so. Before you could ask how much a room would be, the man moved away, grabbing a key to bring back to you. He gently slid it across the counter, leaving you more than just a little confused.

“Second floor, the room number is right there on the key for you. Is there anything else I can help you with for the night?”   
  
“W-wait, how much-”   
  


“Your room was already taken care of. Did he not tell you that?”

You couldn’t help but stare for a moment, the man behind the desk humming thoughtfully.

“That’s odd, he never struck me as the type to hide things. I suppose he just decided to surprise you. You must be close.” The older man smiled, and you felt the blush start to speckle your cheeks.  _ Absolutely not, we just met!  _ You weren’t about to voice your thoughts though, for fear of that messing the whole situation up. Instead, you just smiled awkwardly.

“No, we’re just… friends.”  _ Someday friends, maybe. So maybe that’s not a lie.  _ “Thank you for your help, sir. I’m going to go get some rest.” You heard him offer some sort of wish along ‘enjoy your stay!’ though you were too shell shocked to really take it in. The elevator ride was very short unsurprisingly, and as you and Mightyena headed to your room you remained quiet. It was only once you slipped the key into the lock and opened it, letting the two of you in with only the soft click of the door shutting and locking behind you that you let out a breath you must have been holding.

“Well, that was… that was sure something, wasn’t it Yena?” The Mightyena quietly huffed, seemingly conscious of where he was enough to not make too much noise. He was smart. Thoughtful. He always was.

You made your way to bed, your clothes long dry despite the discomfort of the texture against your skin. You were too drained to shower tonight - you would just have to in the morning. All you wanted to do was sleep for as long as your body would allow. You closed your eyes as you shifted to huddle under the blankets, pulling them to meet your shoulder. Eventually you felt Mightyena carefully hop up as well, lying above the covers against your back. His warmth was  _ extremely  _ welcome.

“Goodnight, buddy. Sleep well. We’ve got… a long road ahead, tomorrow.” You murmured softly, barely registering the soft noise of affirmation from the canine as you were lulled into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy, and hopefully I can bring chapter 3 soon. I also hope I'm doing at least a bit of justice to Milo's character - I adore him a lot and can't help but worry when it comes to my writing more often than not. Thank you for joining me though, regardless! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading chapter 1! It was mostly just for a little background for reader and her Mightyena. She does have more Pokemon, just only has Mightyena with her right now! I hope to bring in some of the other Pokemon later on. <3


End file.
